It is known that metal soaps are produced either by the melt process, in which the molten fatty acid is reacted with metal oxides, hydroxides and/or suitable metal salts, or by the precipitation process in which their sodium soaps are subjected to double decomposition with water-soluble salts of the corresponding metals. The precipitation process generally gives very clean and voluminous products which can be processed at temperatures below 100.degree. C. However, filtration and drying costs make it much more expensive than the melt process.
Stabilizers produced by the melt process are satisfactory in purity and color for many industrial applications, for example as stabilizers in the processing of plastics. For example, the lead, barium and cadmium compounds have been successfully used in practice as such stabilizers. However, these substances have a highly toxic effect, particularly when they are present in powder form. Dust emission, particularly during processing, is a particular hazard to manufacturers of powder-form stabilizers because the powder-form metal soaps are taken up by the respiratory system and are able to develop their toxic effect therein.